September 4: Luke 6:1-5
 
Key Verse: Luke 6:3
Jesus answered them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
 
Devotion:
Have you ever read passages like this in the bible and wondered why Jesus was not doing what the Old Testament law said? Why was He doing something which teachers of the law would question? It's not a case of reading between the lines and saying we can break certain laws nowadays because Jesus showed us we can, or trying to re-structure the law to fit in with what Jesus did instead of what the Old Testament scriptures said...
 
The answer is far simpler than this. Jesus showed compassion over and above what people would recognise. The Pharisees and other teachers of the law were teaching how people should always follow the law no matter how hard it was to do so. This would often mean people were being let down, rejected, refused and even punished because they had followed the law.
 
Jesus was teaching the disciples about love and mercy, two things which must be taken into account always. How else can we expect to love our neighbour if we are not going to follow the line of compassion? Jesus wanted the disciples to learn this so they would teach it to others as well.
 
David had shown compassion to his companions when they had nothing to eat, save what had already been offered as a sacrifice. He knew God would not refuse his companions a bite to eat even though the law deemed it not right to do so. This is the love he had learned from God and was trying to show his people – unfortunately he did not always get it right. And nor will we always get things right...
 
Points to Ponder:
Do you always follow the rules no matter what?
 
Are you willing to show love and mercy above and beyond?